Regular Time Piece acts were never this bad. [Open]

[hattersgonnahat]

Who: Open!
When: February 10-13
Where: Near Shore mostly, on the Japanese and European sides.
What: Local Hat Kid decides to do what she does best.



A - Near Shore, Japan. I spy.

[Once a certain kid figured out how this new god teleportation thing works, it was not long after that she discovered there was two locations to get into this "Near Shore" place everyone talks about. And wow, despite being so closely named, they could not be any different.]

[Actually, Near and Far are supposed to be opposites. Never mind that.]

[It was a bit of a walk to get to a part of the town with had a lot of people in it. None of the humans could see or hear her either, and that was an especially weird experience. But it was a great way to overhear conversations they had. ...It's just too bad most of them were boring. And not at all what she was looking for.]

[Okay eavesdropping was going no where - time to go higher up and have a larger look around. She eventually found a way to get up to the awnings that lined the streets, and now looking for a path to get on the roof of the buildings themselves.]

[Though the mortals would never notice a thing, not everything nearby was completely blind to gods. Particularly something slimy, amphibious, and also a skilled jumper. It was being a patient stalker, for now. Perhaps waiting to see first if its meal was going to fall. It can keep following the tiny god for as long as it needed to.]



B - Near Shore, Northern Europe. Adjusting to the Norse lifestyle.

[After a less successful day yesterday to find Time Pieces, the kid tried searching again at the second shrine. This time greeted by a ton of snow outside, and it's cold. A moment like this made her wish her raincoat hadn't disappeared, it might be slightly warmer than this. ...Oh well, it will be less of an issue once she got moving.]

[And it went fairly fine there on. The hook shot actually worked pretty damn well to avoid the snow all together and just stay in the trees, where it was faster to swing branch to branch. Feeling a little like a certain kind of super hero.]

Wah-! [For a short while, anyway.]

[The frost on one of the tree branches was too slippery for the umbrella to grab on to. She was plummeting, but luckily the snow bank was going to catch her fall. ...Okay, maybe not. She completely fell through it.]

[Moments later the child's head peeked out of the hole she had created - the bank was just about as tall as she was! But something was missing... She patted the top of her head. The hat was gone. Immediately she went back to digging in the snow to find it.]

[Unless of course, the wind managed to knock the purple top hat off during the fall. Perhaps in plain sight outside the snow pile.]



C - Wildcard, plus a day off to rest at temple.

[Plotting, surprises, requests, all welcomed and discussed Gristar]

Comments

I Spy

[reformedsinner]

[Unlike Hat Kid, Hakkai isn't jumping from building to building; he's walking below, blending easily into the late winter crowds, with a heavy satchel over one shoulder and a buff overcoat and scarf.

Though he blends with the crowds, though, he has slightly better perception than the average living human. He casts the occasional glance up at the small leaping figure... and, on one of those glances, catches sight of the smaller hopping figure behind her.

He stops, and cups a hand around his mouth to magnify his yell.]

Excuse me! Hello up there!

A

[subconmodo]

[The Ayakashi wasn't the only thing following her around.]

[Snatcher hadn't necessarily intended to stalk the girl. At least, at first. But any thought of getting his bearings around the city had flown right out of his head the second he'd caught sight of her wandering around.]

[Sure it was a bit public, but it wasn't like there were laws here stating he couldn't try and make another grab for the girl's soul. And that wasn't even counting the fact that maybe, just maybe, she might have one of those Time Pieces up her sleeve by now.]

[Not that he knew what he'd do with it here. Honestly, it'd probably just be for bragging rights at this point. But hey! He would have EARNED those bragging rights! Would have contracted them right out of her fair and square!]

[And so he had sped ahead of her, keeping to the shadows, laying one of his traps right where he was sure she would go next. And then it was finally sprung.]

AAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA! FOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!

You're getting rusty, kiddo! Walked right into that one!

...What? You weren't expecting me to be surprised it was you this time, were you? Oh no... I set this one up nice and special. Time for a chat!

[hattersgonnahat]

Huh? [Not too sure why she stopped. No one could see, why would anyone be talking to her? It was just out of habit, possibly.]

[The girl looked down into the crowd below just to see if anyone was looking up. Sure enough - and with a surprisingly good eye - she saw someone. They even looked like someone she met at the training earlier!]

What is it? [Hunched down closer to hear. Not even aware of the fact that her stalker was creeping closer now.]

A

[kolus]

[ He may not belong on the Near Shore but it doesn't make Stan's any less drawn to it. The place is swelling with life, a welcoming change from the endless night and haunting silence in Subcon Weald. He likes the people, even if they can't see him. The constant buzz of conversation, the different smells in the air, even the fashion he's exposed to. It makes him wonder what he might wear had he not been provided a hooded cloak by his God.

Currently, he's sitting on the edge of his seat, excitedly watching a heated argument between two men from a bench. The two had stopped at the shop to have flowers delivered to their sweetheart. As it turned out they both had their eye on the same girl. Now, if it broke into a fight, Stan would say the smart money was on Muscles (the bigger of the two). But who knew? Maybe the little one would jump on the bigger guys back and start smacking his head like a bongo. Anything could happen. It's just starting to get good, the two men beginning to shove one another, when something suddenly bounces off the awning above them.

Was that- Was that a child?

Stan turns to find the same figure bouncing off a neighboring canopy. Small. Purple. A top hat? Weird, but definitely a kid. How the Hell did they get up there? Why were they up there? If they fell they could crack their head open! Jumping to his feet, he chases after the trampolinist. ]

Kid! What are you doin'?! You're gonna break your neck!

[hattersgonnahat]

[Indeed. The spindly thorns weren't going to let her escape once they raised up higher. A trap super convenient for the ayakashi too! It was as good of a time to strike as ever, had the mysterious purple fog not show up with a presence of another god. It will have to recalculate how to go about this now.]

[Of course these weren't things all that new to the kid with the hat. Less expecting to see here if anything. And yet, actually felt somewhat honored that Snatcher went of the way to make one just for her. Probably fed up that she was the one that kept tripping them anyway.]

[Except for the fact he clearly wanted something.]

Chat about what?

[subconmodo]

I just thought I'd see how you were doing, that's all!

[he zips around her, and hovers just over her shoulder, grin unbelievably smug]

I did tell you I was interested in those Time Pieces, didn't I? And that's clearly what you're after.

[hattersgonnahat]

[Okay that did it does sound like someone was talking to her, and leaned a lot closer to the edge to look. ...An old guy. Great.]

[Hang on, that is a cloak she had seen before. But...]

Nah, I'm alright!

[hattersgonnahat]

[Of course she was after them. It probably was too obvious that was the reason she was out here. Unfortunately there was still the problem that not a single one has been discovered yet, anywhere. And it was getting more worrisome.]

[Could it be that Snatcher already found one? If so there probably is going to be a contract involved. Then again when isn't there a contract involved? Why else would he be here?]

[It's not like she was going to give one up, if that was the other thing.]

Y...yeah. I'm working on it.

[subconmodo]

[So nothing then. Maybe he can use this to his advantage. After all, what was a little white lie here and there between BFFs?]

[Still, it seems a bit soon to play that particular hand. Best to make her squirm a bit first]

You know, I still don't get why a kid like you became a god. Me? Now that makes sense! I mean, you've seen all the things I can do, kiddo! But you... Well. Dodging isn't exactly a superpower, is it?

[then again, there is that six-year-old that's still supposed to be out there]

[hattersgonnahat]

[Look if there's a six year old, why not a time traveler? Not really sure how much she believe the whole 'god' stuff anyway. She got a shinki to help her out, sure, but nothing else really felt all that different.]

I don't know, I got lucky?

[reformedsinner]

There's a monster behind you!

[Hakkai's shout sounds more cheerful and helpful than it does concerned... but he is speaking fast, because he can see that froglike thing getting just a little closer.

He doesn't have his shinki with him today. This could be challenging.]

[subconmodo]

Of course you did.

[It comes dry and disappointed, but even he has to admit he only has himself to blame. What else did he expect to come from the little hellion's mouth?]

Look, I'll be honest, kiddo. I'm not sure you can handle the responsibility. You've already lost your Time Pieces. Again. That's, what, two worlds now?

[hattersgonnahat]

It wasn't even my fault the first time!

[...Right, she could've just paid the Mafia.]

[...]

[Nope still not her fault.]

That reminds me, how did you get here anyway? [Clearly remembers pushing him and the others off the ship before she left. It's a question she's had for awhile now.]

[hattersgonnahat]

Monster?

[Turns around just in time to see the ayakashi open its mouth. Oh.]

Yikes! [Managed to side step away from the tongue that jolted out. That was...a little strange what happened just now. Can't really complain either. It would have been really, really gross to get hit by that thing.]

[The girl was not completely alone - she actually managed to think far enough ahead in case of a situation like this, especially when there was possibly Time Pieces involved. A cute bow was tied the handle of her parasol, but it was going to take standing still for a moment to fully charge it. This frog was not too incline to wait that long.]

[New plan. While dodging another tongue attack she used this moment to hop off the awning and back on to the street. Trying to see how much distance she could get away from it. Although now it was posed with the opportunity to pounce on either of them. SORRY HAKKAI YOU MIGHT GET DRAGGED INTO THIS.]

[subconmodo]

Heck if I know. I came here just the same as you did, kiddo, plucked right out of your room.

B

[heptagram]

[Pure luck that Patchy happened to be around here, basically. She, however, hadn't noticed the kid fall into the snowbank, and really didn't notice her almost at all, first catching sight of the hat.

She picks it up and starts dusting the snow off. As much as she can, anyway.]

What's this doing out here? Did someone just leave a perfectly good hat lying out in the snow?

...it probably would've gotten ruined if I hadn't seen it sooner. [Give her a moment to look for someone who might own it.

Or like, anyone at all. She kind of sees the kid digging in the snow. She thinks.]

Hey. Are you looking for something?

[reformedsinner]

[He might indeed. The girl leaps down to the street, and the frog comes flying after, soaring in a wide jump behind her and down. Towards Hakkai, who really isn't very far away.

Smells niiiice, it croons in a twisted voice, and Hakkai leaps backwards, flinging a chi ball at the creature's face. He can't do much more than sting ayakashi with them, but stinging it might be enough for a temporary distraction.]

Excuse me, miss! Do you have your shinki with you?

[hattersgonnahat]

[That doesn't seem right.] You weren't in my room anymore

[subconmodo]

Any...?

[smile gone, he pulls back away from her]

What do you mean "anymore?"

[hattersgonnahat]

Unless you found another way in after I kicked everybody out.

[Was Snatcher really that desperate to kill her that he'd leave his own planet like that? Thought that forest meant something to him.]

I was already almost home.

[subconmodo]

[The purple, hazy fog of his trap vanishes in an instant.]

No. I didn't.

[And that meant a lot of things, given the brat's specialty. Either the kid had done something before she ended up here or the people who had dragged them into godhood were capable of completely ignoring it.]

[He can't say he much cares for either possibility]

Sounds to me like I'm a little behind you, kiddo.

[hattersgonnahat]

[It could mean something that she did not want to think about right now. After all, there had been other details that Snatcher had mysteriously forgotten about.]

[Just how much damage did her Time Pieces really do to that world?]

[But, she will have to think on that later. For some reason right as the trap dissipated, she had the most foreboding sense that something was about to happen right behind her.]

[Like getting swept up by a large frog tongue. Well, having one stuck to her cape anyway.] -!!

[Very quickly used the umbrella's hook shot to latch on to a pipe, vent, anything sturdy enough to prevent getting into the ayakashi's mouth. Albeit now it's turned into a tug o war.]

[hattersgonnahat]

[Had realized the mistake of jumping down a little too late, not that there was many other directions the kid could have gone. She was more relieved that the ayakashi did ignore her completely now. And for a moment, was focused on Hakkai's attack and how well he was faring against it. Entirely forgetting that she should've either kept running, or you know, hit the damn thing.]

[A shinki, yes! She had one of those! And fumbled slightly with the umbrella once Hakkai reminded her.] R-right!

[C'mon Kini, this was your time to shine~ The girl aimed the umbrella tip as though it was a pistol. She had done this kind of thing before - it was only with the help of a badge, but the process was more or less the same. Just had to wait until the ball of light at the end reached to a specific size. Til finally, a starry laser shot out.]

[Not a direct hit, but it did clip the ayakashi's side for some damage. And now it was upset and coming towards her.]

[subconmodo]

[The ground beneath the ayakashi glows a bright purple before exploding in a pillar of fire, sending it tumbling backwards, letting go of the girl's cape.]

Learn some respect, frog! I'm in the middle of a conversation here. If you want to kill the brat, wait your turn!

[reformedsinner]

Ha ha, thank you! Good shot.

[More or less. It'd hit the ayakashi, at least, and the frog was now heading for the girl with a murderous glint in its bulging yellow eyes. Hakkai aimed another chi attack at its flank as it went, trying to convince it to turn around.]

I'll keep it distracted-- don't stop attacking.